Carrots -- A Gluten-Free Pasta Alternative?

I love it when so many things come together, as they did with these carrot ribbon noodles.  First, a completely Welcoming Kitchen-friendly pasta alternative (gluten-free, allergen-free and vegan), and also a whole food. Getting to use seasonal produce in a new way?  That's just the cherry on top!

I have thought about using vegetable ribbons in place of traditional pasta ever since I had a fantastic dinner in Paris made up of a variety of vegetables shaved into thin ribbons.  Today, I got out my carrot peeler and a couple of carrots and tried it myself.

It worked great!  I peeled the carrots into long ribbons.  Two carrots made about a cup and a half of ribbons.

Then, I heated a tablespoon of olive oil in a medium skillet, added 2 thinly sliced cloves of garlic, and then added the carrot ribbons.

I cooked it over medium heat for about four minutes, continually tossing.  The ribbons were al dente, so if you like yours softer, you could cook them a little longer.

This time, I topped the "pasta" with fresh ground pepper and a sprinkling of mozzarella-flavored Daiya cheese, and it was delicious (not to mention really pretty!).

The texture of the pasta would have held up just as well to sauce.

My friend Julie's mom uses zucchini to make her noodles, and she swears by it.  I can't wait to try a variety of vegetables next time!

I'm grateful that there are so many great gluten-free and allergen-free pastas to serve to my guests, whether they're made from rice or corn or quinoa, but I love the idea of having a vegetable-based option in my kitchen arsenal.  What could be fresher?

We shared this post with Allergy Free Wednesday.  Please check out all of the other great recipes and ideas!


Happy Cooking!
Kim

My new book, Super Seeds, is available now! You can also find tasty recipes in Welcoming Kitchen: 200 Delicious Allergen- & Gluten-Free Vegan Recipes.